Israel s



(No Model.)

I. S. SMITH, Sr. FILE BOX.

No. 410,257. Patented Sept. 3, 1889.

To all whom it may concern/.-

UNITED STATES i PATENT OFF CE.

ISRAEL S. SMITH, SE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES M. MARTIN, OF SAME PLAC FILE-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,257, dated September 3, 1889.

Application filed October 6, 1888. Serial No. 287,365. (No model.)

Be it known that I, ISRAEL S. SMITH, Sr., of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain Improvements in FileBoxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a file box or receptacle intended more particularly for papers or documents which do not require frequent examination.

The principal aims of the invention are to provide a simple, inexpensive, and strong box in which the papers may be quickly confined, and which will admit of their being readily released at the top for inspection.

To this end my box consists of abase-board having at one end a rigid vertical Wall and at the opposite end a horizontal wall, the two connected by toothed side bars or looking devices of peculiar construction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 reprepresents a perspective View of my improved file-box as it appears in operative position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical central section of the box as it appears when opened.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a flat base board or plate, and B a perpendicular wall, erected firmly on one end thereof, the two parts being connected and braced together by diagonal straps C, applied to the edges or by equivalent connections, to give the structure the requisite strength and rigidity.

D represents an end board connected to the base by hinges E in such manner that it may tip from the perpendicular position shown in Fig. 1 outward to the inclined position shown in Fig. 2.

F F represent two metal side bars connected by pivots a at opposite edges of the hingedboard I.) and extended through the slotted ends of bars G, which are nailed or otherwise secured firmly to the opposite edges of the stationaryend board B. Each of the fixed bars G has its inner end bent inward at a right angle and provided with a slot to receive the bar F. The latter is provided on its lower edge with a series of teeth 19, so that as the end board is raised from an inclined toward a perpendicular position the teeth of the bars F will engage successively with the bars G,

and thus maintain the board in position. The extreme inner ends of the bars F are bent inward, as shown, to serveas stops, and thus limit the movement of the bars F and prevent the parts from becoming disconnected and the hinged end from falling outward beyond the desired position. The papers having been introduced, it is only necessary for the end board to be worked by hand, when it will be automatically locked by the toothed bar. To release the end board, it is only necessary to lift the bars until their teeth are out of engagement, when it will fall backward to the required position, thus increasing the space in the top of the box, so that the upper ends of the contained papers may be readily separated, while at the same time they are confined and supported at the base and prevented from falling out of place.

It will be observed that the longitudinal bars serve not only as a means of holding the hinged end board, but also as side supports to retain the papers in position, so that the side boards or cells commonly employed in this class of box are unnecessary. It is manifest that the details of the harsh and G may be modified to some extent without departing from my invention, the only essential require ment being that they shall be adapted to slide upon and interlock with each other. It will be observed that the parts F G constitute jointly extensible side bars, forming a connection between the two end walls of the box at all times.-

While I prefer to construct my box of wood in the form shown in the drawings, itis manifest that it may be of sheet metal or other suitable material, in which case the base portion and the rigid end may be formed complete in one piece of metal.

I am aware that file-boxes have been constructed with hinged end boards and devices for securing the same in upright position, and this I do not broadly claim; butIbelieve myself to be the first to combine with thehinged 5 board the side boards consisting of overlapping sections, one toothed to engage the other, the bars serving both as a means of locking the end board and as side boards to prevent the escape of the papers from the file.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 7V 1. In a file-box, the base-board and the two end boards, one fixed rigidly thereto and the other hinged thereto, in combination with the side bars connecting said end boards and serving also to retain the papers in position, each side board consisting of a slotted portion G, attached to one of the end boards, and

of a toothed portion. F, attached to the opposite board.

2. In a file-box, the base-board, the rigid end board rising therefrom, and the arm G, rigidly attached to said end board and having ISRAEL S. SMITH, SR.

WVitnesses:

CHARLES W. HANDY, H. A. J ONES. 

